Breathe Into Me
by Wing'dCallisto
Summary: [COMPLETE!] Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...
1. The First Choice

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life.  
  
Author's Note: Seeing Trinity and Neo being wrenched apart in Revolutions seriously scarred me for life. I wanted so badly for them to be together again... then I came up with the perfect solution. Reinsertion into the Matrix, so they'd be together! YAY! I don't know if this is the first one with that premise... eh. Just read it.   
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
It is done.  
  
I get to my feet, feeling the weight of my coat pull me down towards the earth. All around me, the rain is falling, coating my face, my hair, my hands. I stand up straight, and look him in the eye. His face is contorted into a look of confusion-- a look of fear. It is an expression I've never seen on his face before, and it startles me slightly.  
  
'W-what did I just say?' He murmurs, his eyes darting from left to right. 'No... get away from me!' He adds in a shout, seeming to shy away from me.  
  
'What are you afraid of?' I query in a calm voice. I know now what is coming. My fate. My destiny. This is the decision I have to make. Without Trinity... Without her, I can fulfill my purpose. Without her, I have no reason to be here anymore.  
  
'You were right, Smith. You were always right. It is inevitable.'  
  
Furiously, he plunges his hand into my chest, and I see the silvery liquid slowly snake it's way up my chest. This time, I make no move to stop it. I choose, instead, to look at him, one last time. He is smiling, his eyes glinting triumphantly. He wears the look of a man drunk on power. He is my opposite-- he's always been that.  
  
The city fades from view, and I can hear his voice, echoing as if from far away. 'Is it over?'   
  
***  
  
When I wake up, my world is fragmented, and I don't know what's real or what's not. 


	2. Amy

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: None... nothing... zilch... zip... zero.  
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
God, I hate it when it rains.  
  
To some it's cleansing, yeah, and peaceful, or an opportunity to curl up by the fire and just  
  
pur life on hold for a couple of hours. For me, though, it's a prelude to nightmares.  
  
I can't remember my dreams; at least, not all of them. Usually I can only remember bits and  
  
pieces, fragmented like glass, similar to the raindrops that are the soundtrack for these  
  
dreams. It's always the same-- I'm lying in some sort of crater, surrounded by muddy water,  
  
hearing someone yell down at me. My whole body is aching, and I know that I'm going to die.  
  
But in dreams you always wake up just before you die...  
  
And I just feel so weak and I know that I've got no purpose anymore.  
  
***  
  
Work. Friday. Again.  
  
I'm trying to finish coding the company's website, but it's a long process. There's no PHP  
  
installed on the server, so I have to alter the layout manually on each page. It's work that's  
  
easy, work that I can handle without too much of a problem, even though it bores me out of  
  
my mind.  
  
'Thomas, it's your turn to do the lunch run today.' Comes a voice from the cubicle next to me.  
  
It's Andrew. He pokes his head over the thin wall, his greasy black hair falling into his eyes,  
  
which are already starting to show signs of becoming lined. He's only the same age as me,  
  
and probably more machine than man. We all are. Completely wired, reliant on our computer  
  
systems.  
  
I tilt my head upwards to face him, not sure as to what reaction I should display. 'My turn?' I  
  
say after a moment, and he rolls his eyes.   
  
'God, Anderson, just do it.' He snaps, his head sinking back down below the  
  
neutrally-coloured wall that separates us. 'I'll have a donut and a latte.' He calls, almost as an afterthought.   
  
I get to my feet and make my way to the elevator. I'm used to people pushing me around,  
  
although I keep getting this nagging feeling that I should be the one who is pushing them  
  
around.  
  
***  
  
The cafe on the corner still hasn't opened by the time I reach it, and I remain standing  
  
outside the frosted glass doors, peering in, half-glancing at my watch. It's cold outside and I'd  
  
much rather be in there than out here.  
  
At that moment, a woman with short, slicked back brown hair walks up to the door and peers  
  
through the window. She's dressed almost entirely in black, and I know that I wouldn't have  
  
noticed her if she'd been standing in a crowd. On her face are a pair of dark, fashionable  
  
sunglasses.   
  
I don't think I could ever wear sunglasses. They cover your eyes, and the eyes are truly the  
  
window into someone's soul. Without your eyes, you may as well be nobody.  
  
'Do you work here?' I ask her. She turns and looks at me, taking off her sunglasses in the  
  
process. She glares at me, her blue eyes searching my face. She frowns slightly, almost in  
  
recognition, and I see an emotion flash across her eyes. Something I don't recognize. Then  
  
it's gone, and her eyes are filled with a warmth that wasn't there before.  
  
'No, I don't.' She says, with a half-hearted smile. 'I used to come here for coffee all the time.  
  
Looks like we're both here for the same reason, huh?' She sounds like she really wants to  
  
talk to me.  
  
'You could say that,' I reply, glancing at my watch again. I'm not really interested in chatting  
  
up this woman-- she doesn't seem like someone that would appeal to me in any lifetime.  
  
'Do I know you from somewhere?' She asks, and once again she gives me a searching look. 'I'm sure I've seen you before.' She frowns, her eyes blank as she searches her memories for  
  
any proof of my existence.  
  
'No, I don't think I know who you are.'  
  
'But you must know...' She presses on, then extends her hand. 'My name's Amy. Amy  
  
Lockhart. I'm sure I know you.'  
  
I shake her hand. 'I'm Thomas-- Thomas Anderson.'   
  
As I look at her face, something familiar swims into view. I can't put my finger on it, but  
  
there's something in her eyes that I can recognize. I can hear her voice, echoing from the  
  
recesses of my mind, from a memory that I've conveniently forgotten...  
  
'You feel this? I'm never letting go.'  
  
Almost at once, I back away from her, and I know that the confusion is written all over me,  
  
infecting the air around me. I don't want to remember. I don't think that remembering will do  
  
me any good.  
  
So I turn and walk away from her. And this time, I don't look back. Not even when she calls  
  
my name. 


	3. Inside My Mind

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: While the other chapters have been from Neo/Thomas's point of view, this one is from Amy/Trinity's. Just to clarify before we start. Many thanks to the eleven reviewers; you're what keeps me writing this thing, even though it's hardly presentable. Oh, here's a bit of trivia for you all-- in the 1996 Matrix Draft, the movie began with Neo in a chatroom, talking to people with the screen names of supertastic, Quark and timaxe-- the very same people in this fic  
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
I slammed the door to my apartment and threw my purse down on the jarrah table, my lips trembling and my mind a mass of confused memories and thoughts. I stomped into the kitchen, turned on the radio, and quickly searched the airwaves for some easy-listening.  
  
'Calm down, Amy,' I told myself, trying to keep my voice calm. I sat down on my couch, facing a window which overlooked the city, and felt my muscles unclench. My eyes closed, and I buried my head in my hands, taking deep breaths through my mouth.  
  
I couldn't remember much of my past. Just... blurred images, really. A voice cutting through the thick clouds in my memories. Someone's hand, wrapping itself tightly around mine. A kiss, stolen, treasured. They were all full of sadness, full of pain... there were very few optimistic things that I could remember. Maybe I'd never recover them. They'd just be forgotten, and it'd be like they never existed.  
  
I'd been in a coma for almost a year, the nurses at the hospital had told me when I'd woken up. They hadn't expected me to ever wake up. They told me that I was strange, I was different from the other patients, because some days I'd wake up with bruises covering my torso. Once they'd found a bullet wound on the side of my chest. And just before I'd regained conciousness-- and this was perhaps the strangest of all-- Three gaping holes had appeared in my stomach.  
  
I lifted up my shirt and absentmindedly traced the scars. The nurses had told me that I'd been calling out in my sleep, crying and whispering to someone that wasn't there. Saying just one name, over and over again, until all the breath had gone from me. That my body had gone limp, almost like I was dead. But I hadn't died. I merely slept. And was I only dreaming?   
  
I looked up through the window, wiping the tears from my eyes. And that guy, in the streets... who had he been? So familiar, with his features and his way of speaking. I'd seen him before. I knew him from somewhere. He could have been the person I remembered-- I'd never know.  
  
***  
  
My computer was in my bedroom, and it was on, humming quietly when I entered. I settled myself down at the keyboard and opened my email browser, curiously examining my past emails. Some of them I'd never decipher. I knew that they held the key to what had happened to me before... before then.  
  
One specifically caught my eye. It was an excerpt from a news report about a terrorist, about terrorist attacks, to be exact. About hackers and rebels and... another familiar word caught my eye... 'Trinity'.   
  
I opened up my web-browser and idly clicked through my old history files. I was surprised that they were still there, but sure enough, they dated back to almost three years ago. I randomly chose one, guessing it's origins. A chat-room, I decided, tapping my fingers as I waited for the script to load.   
  
Sure enough, it was, and the login screen appeared. I typed in a username-- 'AmyLockHeart'-- and waited patiently as the chatroom loaded.  
  
supertastic welcome amylockheart!!  
  
amylockheart thanks, what are you guys talking about?  
  
timaxe Duh, are you stupid? This is a Matrix-chatroom. An exclusive website where hackers hang out.  
  
Quark THE HACKERS ARE BEING HACKED! Ph334!  
  
timaxe Shut up, Quark.  
  
amylockheart the Matrix?  
  
My heart began to beat quickly. Something else, something that once again has been pulled out of my memory... And then a hiss, my voice, almost drowned out by the drone of techno music.  
  
'It's the question that drives us.'  
  
'What is the Matrix?'  
  
supertastic It's the system controlling our lives  
  
timaxe No, it's sega  
  
supertastic SHUT UP . . . anyway, as I was saying, it's everything, but it is nothing at the same time.   
  
Quark Morpheus knows  
  
timaxe No, Sega knows  
  
Quark Sega stopped making consoles, you freak  
  
timaxe No Shit  
  
supertastic Morpheus is the one who frees your mind.  
  
amylockheart Morpheus?  
  
supertastic And Neo and Trinity  
  
amylockheart Neo?  
  
supertastic we always thought Trinity was a guy, LOL!  
  
Quark 411 h411 73h f3mb075!  
  
supertastic ... Anyway, that's his name, Neo. A legend. Apparently he used to frequent here. We used to kick him out. Sighsigh  
  
Neo... An anagram of one, meaning new or reborn. I rolled the word around in my mouth, repeating it, trying it out. 'Neo,' I whispered. 'Neo, Neo... Neo...' And then it almost hit me, it hit me with such force that I physically leant back to recieve it.  
  
An aura of strength, dimmed only by his disability-- he was blind. A kind of longing in his voice as he clung to me, whispering in my ear. A melted, twisted mess where his eyes had once been. The sight repulsed me and brought me to him at the same time. I didn't feel afraid, even though the situation must have been hopeless... I could feel it.  
  
I closed my browser window and gazed at the monitor, a hollow feeling in my legs and heart. 'Who are you?' I mused, my hand resting lightly on the mouse. I moved it around, even though I felt numb and was unable to feel the smooth curvature of the plastic beneath my fingers.  
  
Then, who am I? 


	4. We Meet Again

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: Wow, nineteen reviews! 'Tis a record for me. Many thanks to all the reviewers, it's you that keeps me going. (Well, partially.) Also, a huge hug to my best friend and beta-reader, Nain, who gives me the advice and inspiration that I always need. Thankyou, Bishkins. Once again, this chapter is in Amy's P.O.V. More clarification, yay.  
  
Sorry this chapter isn't fantastic, but I have major writer's block at the moment and it's difficult for me to put down what I want to say in words. -_-; And this is _not the last chapter_, although the ending may seem as such. I've still got plenty more to write. Just wait and see.   
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
I opened up the thick phone book on my lap to the 'A' section. The names stretched out in front of me, and I wondered how many 'T. Anderson's I'd find. Knowing my luck, there'd probably be a million... or there'd be none at all.  
  
Blankly, I stared at the page, running my finger down the columns, searching for his name. I needed to find it. If I didn't find him, I didn't think I'd ever really be able to function again. I couldn't control the deluge of half-formed memories that were making themselves visible to me. Maybe an answer would. Who knows.  
  
But was he... Neo? Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn't. I needed to know, though.   
  
Suddenly, a name jumped out at me. Fortunately, there was only one 'T. Anderson', and I smiled in relief. With shaking fingers, I outlined his name and number in a thick red pen, and lifted my cordless phone off the reciever. The dialtone echoed in my mind-- I felt like my soul was being wrenched from my body, and I was flying through the reciever, green code reflected all around me...  
  
I shook my head. 'Get a grip, Amy.' I muttered, dialing his number with clumsy fingers. I held it to my ear, trying to resist the urge to disconnect. He answered promptly after the first ring.  
  
'Hi, this is Thomas Anderson here--'  
  
Nervously, I blurted out, 'Hi, it's Amy Lockhart here. You know, we--'  
  
'Um, I'm not home right now, but if you want me to get... to get back to you, just leave a message after the beep. Yeah. Thanks.' The tone shrilly rang in my ear, and I furiously hung up, then held my head in my hands, resisting the urge to scream in frustration.  
  
Getting to my feet, I left the house. I needed to clear my mind.  
  
***  
  
The park was always a nice place to visit. It was situated in the middle of the city, surrounded and hidden by skyscrapers. I tilted my head back, pure sunlight splashing on my face, so real and ... warm.  
  
I walked along the lake, watching the people sitting in the small pedal-powered boats and slowly making their way across the calm water. All around me the air was filled with a cacophany of laughter and talking. I envied everyone. Everyone but me.  
  
Alongside me walked a small indian girl and an elderly woman. The girl was chattering excitedly, but then turned her head shyly to look up at me. The smile on her face grew wider, and she tugged on her guardian's jacket.  
  
'Look, look! It's...'  
  
'Sati, it's rude to point.' Chided the woman quietly. Then she gave me a warm smile. 'I'm sorry. She didn't mean to be rude, I'm sure.'  
  
'That's okay,' I replied, slightly bemused. The woman and the girl walked ahead, and I watched their gradually fading backs. The young girl was eagerly jumping around, talking loudly to the old woman, laughing and joking. I shook my head slightly and jammed my hands in my pockets, exhaling loudly.  
  
'Hey-- it's Amy, right?' Came a familiar voice. I turned around and almost jumped out of my skin. It was Thomas. He looked tired, but smiled briefly when my eyes met his. 'It's nice to see you again.'  
  
'Oh, hi!' I stammered, feeling a blush slowly rise up my neck. My knees started to shake. Was it really him? I reached out, involuntarily, and touched his shoulder, my hand brushing against the rough fabric of his jacket. Yes, it was him-- and he was smiling at me, although his eyes were questioning.  
  
My legs gave way, and he caught me as I fell forward. 'Are you okay?' He asked, half carrying me over to one of the park benches. 'You look kind of pale.'   
  
'I'm fine,' I replied, shutting my eyes tightly, assaulted by memories. I was standing in a phone booth, the phone ringing wildly. I turned and looked at him, wondering where I could find the words, or if I could even gather up enough courage to tell him the truth... But a train roared past and the moment was lost.  
  
'Amy,' he said, shaking me slightly. I opened my eyes again, startled to find myself in broad daylight. I felt like I'd been sleeping, or at least transported elsewhere. I looked up at him and tried not to cry.  
  
'I tried to call you,' I said, looking at my hands. 'But you weren't home.'  
  
'You ... tried to call me?!' He sounded surprised.  
  
'Of course.' I replied. 'I was going... um, to ask if you wanted to meet for coffee or something.'   
  
He didn't say anything, and I glanced at his face, noticing, for the first time, that there were long, thin scars surrounding his eyes. I frowned. 'Did something happen to your eyes?' I asked, slightly curious. 'Or...'  
  
'Oh, I had an eye operation a week ago.' He replied, looking uncomfortable. 'I don't really know what happened, but there was an accident and my eyes were burnt. The doctors doubted that they could repair them, but...' He paused. 'They did. It's a goddamned miracle, if you ask me.'  
  
'Yeah...' I replied. 'So, you don't know how it happened?'  
  
'No idea.' He shrugged. 'I was in a coma for almost a year before this. Somehow my eyes were damaged. My lawyer told me I should sue the hospital, but... well, I don't have any reason to do so. I don't know how it happened and I don't know why it happened, but the truth is that it did happen.'  
  
Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed his hand. 'That's wierd.' I said, 'Because I was in a coma for a year as well. I only got out of hospital a few weeks ago. I don't know why I was in there in the first place, because I can't remember much of my past.'  
  
'I can't, either.' He exclaimed, and once again my eyes met his. 'It's strange, Amy. I feel like I know you. Like you and I have been together before.'  
  
'I feel like that too,' I replied, then paused. 'Hey, Tom... do you ever call yourself Neo?'  
  
He looked taken aback by the question. 'Neo?' He asked, thinking for a moment. 'No,' he said finally. 'I don't think I've ever called myself Neo. Why do you ask, Amy?'  
  
Maybe he isn't Neo, I thought as I shook my head, giving him a warm smile. For some reason, I didn't feel at all disappointed. He may not be the man from my dreams, but I still can fall for him. This much I know. 


	5. Haunted

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: Again, thankyou for the reviews. 24... wow, I feel so loved! ^_^ Again, special thanks to my regular readers, and to my beta, Nain. This chapter is once again in Amy/Trinity's point of view. Sorry it's so short; it's really just a 'filler' chapter, because everything's going to happen in chapter six. Or at least, start to happen.  
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
I felt incredibly calm, although the pain in my torso was almost unbearable. Like mercury, my life was slipping through my fingers and I was powerless to stop it. I could hear him crying, and I longed to wipe his tears away.  
  
'Kiss me, once more. Kiss me.' I said, my voice almost a whisper. He leant over me, taking my face in his hands, and trembling, placed his lips on mine.   
  
From far away, I heard him sobbing, calling my name. I longed to hold him in my arms, to let him breathe life into me once more, but the barrier between us was something that not even my soul could break through...  
  
***  
  
'Amy? Amy, wake up.' Someone was holding me.   
  
Automatically, I awoke with Neo's name on my lips. Tom was peering down at me, his eyes full of something-- concern? I sat up straight, startling both him and myself.  
  
'Neo.' I whispered, my gaze travelling around the room, almost in the hope that he would appear.  
  
'Did you have another dream?' Tom asked. I sank back under the quilt, still shaking, the residue of tears drying on my face. He pulled me towards him and I buried my head in his chest, feeling vulnerable and weak.  
  
'I'm sorry,' I whispered, taking a deep, shuddering gasp. 'You know I-I'm not usually like this.' I tilted my tearstained face towards his. 'God, Thomas, I don't know who the hell I am.'  
  
'None of us do,' he said quietly, stroking my hair. 'We don't know until the day we die.'  
  
'But I do die.' I said, leaning back into the pillows and gazing up at the ceiling. 'I die every single time.'  
  
He didn't seem to know how to respond to that. Instead he leant over, kissed my forehead lightly and said, 'How about some coffee, then, Amy?'  
  
***  
  
We made our way down to the cafe where we'd first met and selected a booth, both ordering a cappucino. While we waited, we made small talk, once again avoiding the subject of our pasts. I'd been going out with him for almost a month and although he wouldn't talk to me about his life before we'd met, I felt like I knew everything about him. We were both comfortable in each other's presences.  
  
I was so curious as to what he wouldn't tell me, but I didn't dare push him. I was too scared of losing him.  
  
Our cappucinos arrived and I chose to carefully sip at the scaulding drink, not making eye contact with him. For a few moments we sat in silence, him reading the newspaper and I gazing absently out the window. It was the beginning of winter, and I could see snow lightly falling through the frosted window pane.   
  
'Are you sure you're okay, Ame?' Thomas asked, and I focused my eyes on his face. He closed his newspaper and pushed his empty mug to the side. 'You seem a little distant this morning.'  
  
'They're just dreams,' I insisted.  
  
He looked doubtful, then glanced at his watch. 'I have to go, Amy. I'll call you when I get back from work.' He leant across the table and kissed me quickly on the lips before leaving the cafe, the small bell on the door ringing as he left. I watched him walk past the window, his jacket thrown over one shoulder, his eyes downcast, like he was looking for the correct path to take.  
  
I extracted a few coins from my pocket and left them on the table for the waitress.   
  
Outside, the morning was turning bitterly cold, and I turned up the collar on my jacket, my hands thrust into the pockets of my jeans, head bowed against the wind. I carefully avoided the pavement cracks as I made my way along the streets, with no destination in mind. Instead, I replayed the frames from my dream, over and over again, analysing, wondering, contemplating, hoping.  
  
And then, I was falling, twisting in mid air, aiming my gun at the suit that had followed me. Around me, shards of glass well, slitting the skin on my face, cutting through the leather that I wore. I was going to die. I saw the bullet that was going to end my life. Smoothly, it seemed to slide through the air, piercing my body just below my heart.   
  
Unexplainably, he caught me. His arms wrapped around me, cradling me as we flew through the streets, debris following us. I was sobbing, clinging to him, not wanting to have to let go. This was my curse. I was going to die for him. Neo...  
  
'Neo, I had to.' I whimpered, once he'd set me down on the rooftop. I couldn't stand the look on his face-- a look of horror, of helplessness.  
  
'I know.' He said quietly. 'The bullet is still inside,' he added, unnecessarily. He closed his eyes, an intent look on his face as he -- miraculously -- reached into my chest and pulled the bullet out. It was a crumpled, small object-- I was unable to believe that it had caused me so much pain.   
  
I looked up at him, my lips stained with blood, my voice gradually weakening. 'I'm sorry,' I whispered as I slid in and out of conciousness, his face blurring before me as everything went dark.  
  
Suddenly, I was back-- back in the real world-- and I was sitting against a wall in a back alley, arms wrapped around my knees and my whole body shaking. My head was tilted to one side and resting against a pile of old and rotting newspapers. I blinked several times, trying to get the world back into focus.  
  
I got to my feet, brushing off the light smattering of snow that had settled on my shoulders. The world felt so surreal, and I made my way back to my apartment in a daze.   
  
You only live once, you only die once.   
  
But I'd died twice.  
  
'Trinity. Trinity, I know you can hear me. I'm not letting go. I can't. I love you too damn much.' He had said.  
  
I curled up in my bed once more, fully clothed, although I didn't feel tired. My mind was so clear that it almost hurt. He hadn't let go and, frankly, I didn't intend to let go either. Not until I knew who I was. 


	6. Don't Look Back

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity, but I wish he was mine.  
  
Author's Note: Song lyrics used in this are from 'Anywhere', by-- surprise, surprise-- Evanescence! This chapter was also inspired by this song. And the story is not nearly over, everyone. I can't really say what's going to happen, but I have it all planned out. ^_-  
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
It was late one evening when he asked me about Neo. The question took me by surprise. We were sitting on the couch in my apartment, curled up, watching television, enjoying a quiet night in, when he asked during a break in the program. I can't even remember what we were watching.   
  
'I-I don't want to push you,' he said, nervously as I looked up at him. 'I'm... just curious.'  
  
'I can't really remember much,' I replied, taken aback. 'I mean, they're just dreams.' I added, crossing my fingers behind my back. 'But he seems so much more real than a figment of my imagination. It doesn't matter, does it?'   
  
'Please tell me, Trinity.' He whispered, staring at me intently.  
  
Trinity? I looked at him, eyes widening as I realised what he'd said-- and he realised it, too.  
  
'I mean, Amy! Amy! Please tell me.' All the colour drained from his face. 'Amy, you're Amy. Oh, shit.'   
  
'You called me Trinity.' I said quietly, reaching for the remote. Abruptly, the television went dark, and the room was quiet. I gazed at the glass bowl on the coffee table, filled with dried flowers, until it blurred before me. I began to cry.  
  
'God, Amy, I don't know what the hell is going on.' He said, reaching for my hand, and I took it, clasping it tightly, shutting my eyes tightly in order to stop the flow of tears from my eyes.  
  
'You see this?' I whispered. 'This is real.'  
  
'I'm not letting go,' he added.  
  
I opened my eyes and gazed at him. It came so naturally. Our eyes met, and I knew I'd found him. I'd found him at last. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and all the memories came flooding back. They weren't fragmented anymore, but whole and complete.   
  
Standing in a subway station, wanting to tell him that I loved him, but the words wouldn't come out. Me, my face pressed to his body, and his eyes opened and met-- we kissed for the first time, his hand reaching up to touch me. For the first time, showing fear, holding me tightly and whispering in my ear, telling me how frightened he was but how glad he was that I'd be there until the end.  
  
I leant forward to kiss him, but he suddenly pulled away, his eyes devoid of all feeling.  
  
'Tom? Neo?' I asked as he got to his feet and pulled his jacket off the back of the couch. He shook his head, running both hands through his hair.  
  
'Amy, I don't know. I can't. I'm not Neo... I just can't be. You can't be Trinity. I'm sorry. She's dead. I saw her die.'  
  
I stared at him in horror, cold fear spreading across my skin. 'You're leaving?' I said in a high-pitched voice. 'Tom, listen. You don't remember... But I remember you. You have to be Neo. I've seen him, and he is you. You're both the same person.'  
  
'I can't remember her. I can remember... when I said her name. That's all.' He said quietly as he opened the door. Then he turned to me one last time. 'Amy, take care of yourself.'  
  
He left. He closed the door behind him. Oh, shit.  
  
'Forget this life, come with me, don't look back, you're safe now...' I could hear someone's radio singing in the apartment next door.   
  
I wasn't going to look back.   
  
I was going to forget Amy-- the person I had been.  
  
I was Trinity. I knew I was. Everything fit.  
  
The emails, the chatroom, The Matrix... 'I am Trinity.'  
  
The person I was. But I wasn't complete until he realised it.   
  
And I had to find him.  
  
Because he had to know.  
  
***  
  
He was walking down the sidewalk. It was a busy night, and the roads were thick with traffic. All around me, a cacophany of life erupted like a symphony. I could see him-- he stood out in the crowd. He wasn't watching where he was going, his shoulders colliding with others. His pace was slow and sluggish, and I knew I could catch up to him.  
  
'Neo!' I cried, dodging the crowd. He didn't turn to look at me. 'Goddamnit,' I swore, walking faster, trying to catch up. I broke into a jog.  
  
He crossed the road. When he reached the other side, he turned and looked at me for the briefest moment, and I screamed his name again. His real name. He showed nothing-- not even the faintest emotion. I could have cried with frustration.   
  
I started to run across the road.   
  
He opened his mouth and dropped his guard, running towards me, his face pained and his arms outstretched. Did he remember? I smiled, reaching out my hand to touch his...   
  
He let out a scream. 'Amy!'  
  
I stopped, turned, and saw the car heading for me. There was no way I could move in time. Instead, I braced myself for the end, resigned to my fate.   
  
But I'd just found him.  
  
In slow motion, I turned to face him. He was still running, trying to push me out of the way and save me... one last time...  
  
But then there was the sound of steel on bone, and I couldn't hear anything more.  
  
***  
  
So this is death?  
  
An empty white void stretched out endlessly in all directions, and I stood in the middle of it all. I could not feel any pain. All I could feel was wonder.  
  
'Neo!' I cried, but my voice merely echoed, teasing me. 'Neo... Neo... Neo...'  
  
I knelt on the ground and wrapped my arms around myself, leaning my head on my knees. I never thought it possible to see so much white. So much purity. So much that wasn't tainted by reality.   
  
'Am I dead?' I asked aloud.   
  
'No, you're not dead.' Came a wise and strangely familiar voice from nowhere. 'Although you should have died a long time ago.'  
  
I jumped to my feet in shock. An old woman was standing before me, a cigarette in her mouth and a smile on her face. 'Hello, Trinity, it's good to see you again.'  
  
'You were... the woman in the park.' I said, surprised. 'You're the Oracle, aren't you?'  
  
'Bingo!' She said gleefully. 'I'm surprised you remember. You remember a lot of things, don't you.' It wasn't a question. 'You've also found a lot of answers, but at the same time, you have so many questions.'  
  
'Am I Trinity?'  
  
'Of course you are,' she replied, motioning to two large crimson armchairs that had suddenly appeared, with a table in front of them. 'Take a seat. This may take awhile.'  
  
I sat down, examining the plate of cookies on the table.  
  
'Take one, you must be hungry.'  
  
I took one, then looked at her expectantly.   
  
'As you have guessed... you are Trinity, and Thomas Anderson is Neo. He's forgotten most of you. You aren't afraid to dig up your past, but he is. He's filed his memories with you away, but they threaten to escape.' She said, taking the seat next to me. 'You do remember the Logos crash-- I'm sure it's the most vivid of all your memories, hm?'  
  
'Yes,' I replied, taking a bite of the cookie.  
  
'But do you know what happened to Neo after that?'  
  
I shook my head.  
  
'He managed to make his way through Zero-One. He was jacked into the Matrix by the Machine God, and him and Smith fought. Neo sacrificed himself for humanity. It was his purpose. You see,' she told me, her eyes wide. 'Once you were gone, he had nothing to live for. Smith took him over. They're two parts of an equation, Trinity-- the positive and the negative. Smith's overwriting Neo cancelled out the equation, and he was destroyed.   
  
Your body was taken from the Logos and repaired. Neo's body was taken back to the Power Plant, and you were reinserted into The Matrix. They felt that it would be better in the long run-- both of you had suffered and you didn't need the hardships of the real world. Zion was not informed of your fate.'  
  
'It wasn't destroyed?' I asked, although my heart was heavy. I would never get to see Zion again.  
  
The Oracle shook her head slightly. 'Trinity, there is peace in the world. Neo died for that peace, however fleeting it is. The Matrix is still operational, but it has reloaded. The story has ended, and come full circle. History will repeat itself.'  
  
'God, you never made any sense!' I snapped, throwing my half-eaten cookie down. 'Don't give me some bullshit about history repeating itself. Neo died for us. We've all been living a lie. YOU said that the One would destroy the Matrix. YOU said that humanity isn't going to ever be free while the Matrix exists. You're full of shit.'  
  
She just laughed, which angered me further. 'Trinity, you can believe that if you wish. But there has not been peace in the world for a thousand years. Peace, no matter how short, is always welcomed. This peace will last a hundred years or so, I believe.'  
  
'Why am I here?' I asked, slightly more calm.  
  
'You did not die. You are here so I can speak to you before you return to the Matrix.'  
  
'Will I be able to escape again?'  
  
'Morpheus will find you both. You may or may not be freed. That is something not even I can see, because you haven't made the choice yet. Understand?'  
  
'Will Neo remember who I am?'   
  
'If he wants to, then he will.' She smiled and took the last cookie. 'Good luck, Trinity. We will see each other again, I promise you.'  
  
Everything went black. Tainted, tainted, completely impure. 


	7. Rain

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: Sorry this has taken so long-- my writer's block has been absolutely awful lately. But I've been on holiday, and I took some time to listen to MP3s and sit on the beach... and I was inspired again. This was inspired-- completely and utterly (I had it on replay for hours) -- by track five of the 'Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within' soundtrack.   
  
Also, I have some good news (or not) for you all! This is the first part of a trilogy, which I have entitled the 'Immortals' trilogy. Unique name, huh? The next installment, with a working title of 'Chrysalis', will be released sometime soon. But there's still one last chapter to go on here. I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and again, major apologies for the length of time it's taken to be released!  
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
I had to be dreaming. There was no other explanation for it.  
  
Her body crumpled under the bonnet with a resounding thud of flesh on steel. The car, black, sleek and streamlined, continued smoothly without a pause. I tried to scream, to make them stop, but no sound would come out of my mouth.  
  
My eyes followed the car, and in the rear-view mirror I spied a reflection that was almost familiar, tied with memories that were full of suffering. I tried to remember where he'd come from, but my mind was so full of the horror unfolding before me that I was unable to bring the memories to the surface.  
  
He wore sunglasses, even though darkness had fallen, and his expression was twisted into a look of surprise.  
  
Then the moment was gone and I found myself kneeling beside Amy's body. Her face was pale and her breaths were short, shallow gasps. But she was alive, and for that I was incredibly thankful.  
  
'I've called an ambulance,' I heard a voice, distinct from the cacophany surrounding me. 'Are you a friend of hers?'   
  
I didn't answer as my eyes filled with tears that were long overdue.  
  
***  
  
I rode to the hospital. Outside my window, the streetlamps blurred together in thick bands of colour. Not that I took any notice of them-- my eyes were fixed on Amy. The attendants had hooked her up to every machine in the back of the vehicle as they did everything in their power to bring her back to life.  
  
'Is she going to make it?' I was sitting in the front, beside the driver, my neck craned at an impossible angle. I could hear my voice break as I asked.  
  
'We're doing everything we can,' replied the female nurse, giving me a quick but insincere smile. 'I honestly can't say,' she added, turning back to Amy.  
  
She coughed; a trickle of blood, almost black against her pale skin, trickled out the corner of her lips. None of us made any move to wipe it away.   
  
'You have to save her,' I whispered. 'She's all I've got.'  
  
I reluctantly turned away and gazed through the windshield, trying not to imagine life without her. I wanted her to survive-- more than anything. But I was trapped in this reality, and I hated it.  
  
I leant my head against the passenger's window. Rain began to fall.  
  
Soundtrack to my nightmares.  
  
***  
  
The chairs in the hospital's waiting room were uncomfortable and hard. I used my jacket as a pillow and stretched out, occupying three. I gazed up at the industrial-green ceiling, trying to count the number of stains I could see, in an effort to take my mind off what was happening.  
  
Upon our arrival at the hospital, Amy had gone straight into surgery and I had been told to wait patiently.  
  
How could I, when Amy was dying on an operating table?  
  
I sat up straight and examined the pile of old, dog-eared magazines on the plastic table in front of me. I reached for one of the cheap magazines and opened to it a random page, skimming the first line and realising that I hadn't taken any of it in. I threw it back down on the table and repeated the process with several other magazines.  
  
Suddenly, the surgery door opened, and a male doctor, wearing a tunic of the same green as the ceiling appeared, looking tired. I got to my feet, dropping the magazine that I'd been holding. The world spun around me.  
  
'Thomas Anderson?' The doctor enquired, hesitated, then took a step towards me. I feared his answer, and could tell by the look on his face what he was about to say.  
  
'I couldn't save her,' he said, shaking his head and extending a hand. 'I'm so sorry. We did everything we could.'  
  
I felt as if my heart had been wrenched from my chest, and it took every ounce of strength I could muster not to collapse on the ground, crying and weeping for Amy. I could only think of her, the way she used to smile at me, the way she'd wake up in the middle of the night and hold me close, whispering that she never wanted to let go, how she'd leant over my body even though I was dead and kissed me ...  
  
I shook my head.   
  
... Trinity?  
  
The doctor was trying to speak to me, but I didn't hear it. I'd been here before-- no, we'd been here before. We'd cheated death, again and again. Myself and Amy... as Neo and Trinity...  
  
I pushed past the man, ignoring his cried for me to stop. The door to the surgery opened easily, and I saw her body on the operating table, under a slightly bloodstained sheet. I bit my lip and peeled it back from her face, which was still pale. Her eyes were shut tightly, and she almost looked as if she was screaming.  
  
'Trinity,' I whispered tenatively, brushing the hair from her face as I knelt beside her. 'You can't be dead, you can't. Because,' I whispered, and my breath caught in my throat as I said the words. 'I love you too damn much.' And I kissed her then, clasping my hand over hers.  
  
The heartbeat monitor stopped it's steady droning, and I could hear it begin to maintain a steady beat. Our lips parted and I was gazing into her eyes, which were filling with tears. I gasped slightly, almost in wonder. She smiled, her eyes full of gratitude and recognition.  
  
'Neo...' Trinity whispered. 'I found you.'  
  
'And I found you,' I replied, and we kissed again. Our tears mingled on our cheeks. 


	8. Epilogue

Breathe Into Me  
  
by Wing'dCallisto  
  
Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski Siblings. Neo belongs to Trinity. I wish he belonged to me, but, alas, such is life. I did think up Trinity's new name, though. xD Yeah.   
  
Author's Note: Well, here it is... the conclusion to 'Breathe Into Me'. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and made this story my most successful yet. I appreciate all your feedback! The next part in the trilogy, entitled 'My Chrysalis', and it should be out within the next week or so.   
  
Summary: Trinity and Neo meet each other again, in the Matrix, but do not recognize each other...  
  
--------------------------**  
  
The Archives are full of legends, myths and stories that hadn't been uncovered in many years. Some were simply left to rot because of their violent nature. Others had been forgotten, covered up by more popular and exciting legends.   
  
One of these stories told of a love that transcended even death. Of two humans, two minds freed from the chrysalis that was The Matrix. He had been mankind's saviour, and his coming would hail the destruction of the Matrix. She had been a talented member of the resistance.   
  
It had been them who flew to the machine city and brought peace to the world, for a time. Zion rejoyced as the Sentinels left their destroyed city. There was laughter in the streets for the first time in decades.  
  
Their bodies were never recovered, and the people closest to them, and the followers of the One mourned their loss. But they got on with their lives, forgetting the two talented individuals who had sacrificed themselves for humanity.  
  
None of the Zionites knew of their reinsertion into the Matrix. None of them knew that they had met, almost by chance, within that unreality, and fallen in love once more, struggling with painful double memories.   
  
But they remembered who they were, rediscovered their past and became inseperable once more. They left their lives as Thomas Anderson and Amy Lockheart behind and resumed their true identities:: Neo and Trinity. 


End file.
